Narsa Residence

Functional requirements

• One home that could hold two opposite color preferences
• Cohesion between visually connected spaces
• Real change without unnecessary demolition
• Distinct experiences where a room could support one

The approach

Cohesion without repetition. Instead of one palette everywhere, I gave the quieter blue-gray and neutrals to the connected public spaces, entry/stairwell and guest bath, and reserved saturated red for two contained rooms — the primary and powder baths — where stronger color could become immersive. Cohesion came from relationships: repeated undertones, coordinated textiles, dark wood finishes, complementary art, and above all sightlines. Where two things could be seen together, they were designed together. Rather than demolish, I kept functional builder elements and spent where it counted — the oversized builder mirror in the primary bath was cut into two and given custom mosaic surrounds; statement mirrors, paint, textiles and custom florals transformed builder-standard rooms without construction.

What it became

The homeowners were thrilled — Mrs. Narsa especially, whose grace I still remember. The two things I'm proudest of are the custom window treatments and making two opposite color preferences work in one home. At the entry, a plain shuttered stairwell window became an architectural feature through a custom sculptural cornice — coordinated with the treatment reflected in the nearby round mirror, because both are experienced in the same sightline. It's an early example of a principle that still runs through my work: design the experience of moving through a home, not just a collection of rooms.